Energy consumption and energy efficiency of different tillage systems in the semi-arid region of Austria
2013
Moitzi, Gerhard (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems) | Schüller, Markus (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems) | Szalay, Tibor (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems) | Wagentristl, Helmut (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Crop Science) | Refenner, Karl (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Crop Science) | Weingartmann, Herbert (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems) | Boxberger, Josef (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems) | Gronauer, Andreas (University of Natural resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna (Austria). Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems)
Tillage in conventional cropping systems requires a high amount of direct energy in form of fuel and influences the energy efficiency of the production system. The fuel consumption was measured in three conventional tillage systems (plough, heavy cultivator and sub-soiler, integrated system) and two conservation tillage systems (mulch seeding, no-tillage) with a high-performance flow-meter, which was integrated in a four wheel driven tractor (92 kW). The tillage trials were carried out on a Chernozem soil with silty loam in the semiarid region of Austria (mean temperature: 9.8°C; mean rainfall: 546 mm). Moreover the total energy efficiency was calculated from the energy input (direct: fuel; indirect: seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and machines) and energy output (heat value) of winter wheat. The highest fuel consumption in the soil tillage was measured in the conventional tillage with plough (39.9 l-ha-1), where 18.8 l-ha-1 results from the plough. The lowest fuel consumption was in the no-tillage system, where 5.9 l-ha-1 fuel for seeding was required. The total fuel consumption can be reduced between 33% and 50% with conservation tillage in comparison to conventional tillage with plough. The best energetic parameters (energy and fuel intensity, net energy and energy efficiency) were realised in the conservation tillage systems.
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